OLED is the panel technology of choice for most premium TV makers aiming to offer buyers the best picture quality possible.
Which is why, if you’ve got the money to spare and care about things like “as the director intended” picture quality, or just want a “blow your socks off” experience to impress your friends, you’re likely considering one for your next purchase.
But which to get? Even in the top end market there are massive differences in price between sets and, having tested more OLED TVs than we care to count, we can confirm they all perform very differently. On top of that, just because it uses an OLED panel, doesn’t mean it will automatically offer good picture quality – we’ve tested plenty of mediocre and occasionally outright bad OLED TVs, as evidenced by the number of three star reviews on the site. Most also still sound outright terrible, so you should factor the cost of a soundbar into your purchase plans as well.
To help make sure you get the right OLED TV for your needs and budget we’ve created this guide where our team of home cinema experts offer their curated picks of the best sets they’ve tried and tested across three key price points – premium, mid-range and value. Though on the latter be warned, we mean cheap by OLED standards. So even the most affordable option on this list will still carry a fairly hefty price tag…
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I’ve been testing OLED TVs most of my 16-year-plus career as a technology journalist. That means I’ve spent more hours than I care to detail sitting in our dedicated test room, in the dark, comparing each year’s sets for picture and audio quality. While some may find this a little too close to Groundhog Day for their liking, I’ve always enjoyed the experience for one key reason – the tech never stops developing and there’s always something new to check out. Most recently this has been spearheaded by the arrival of brightness-boosting technologies such as MLA and QD-OLED, which have forced us to re-evaluate our expectations at the top end of the already premium OLED market.
The best OLED TVs in 2024
Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best OLED TVs in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.
Best cheap
The LG B3 is about to be superseded by the LG B4 which, based on our early looks at a press preview session earlier this year, looks very impressive. But, until we get the newer B4 in our test rooms, the LG B3 is the best value OLED we’ve fully reviewed and can recommend. This is especially true in the current market, where the presence of the B4 means many retailers are offering great discounts on the B3 as they rush to clear stock.
For your money, you get an OLED that unashamedly focuses on getting the basics right in a bid to keep costs down. The big compromise is that, unlike its C-series sibling, the B3 only has two HDMI 2.1 sockets, one of which doubles as its eARC. This means that if you want Dolby Atmos audio and to run two modern game consoles at full power you’ll need to do some cable swapping.
However, if you’re just after a reliable TV to watch films and sports, the B3 is great. Comparing it with its more expensive sibling in a series of side by side picture comparisons in our test rooms, we were amazed how well the B3 compared to the C3. Though it didn’t go quite as bright as the C3, the B3 still managed to deliver wonderfully inky blacks and great levels of contrast. This plus its rich and vibrant colours combine to deliver a truly immersive performance.
This is helped by the inclusion of webOS which features app support for all the streaming services you’d expect and gaming-specific apps, like Steam Link and GeForce Now.
Our only word of caution is to make sure you save enough to invest in a soundbar to go with the B3, such as the Sonos Beam Gen 2. The B3’s inbuilt speakers have a distinctly dull tone, that can drain the fun out of even the most animated of shows, based on our listening checks.
This is why our reviewers concluded:
“The LG B3 does most of what makes the C3 great, and that makes it an excellent TV. It’s not cheaper by a huge degree, but unless you absolutely must have four HDMI 2.1 sockets or you regularly watch TV in a very bright room (and expect a very high level of performance in such conditions), there’s every reason to buy the B3 and pocket the change – or, preferably, put it towards the purchase of a soundbar.”
- Not quite right? Then you may want to also consider the Philips OLED808.
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Picture | Authentic, balanced picture quality | ★★★★★ |
| Sound | Dull sound | ★★★☆☆ |
| Features | Excellent OS and gaming features | ★★★★☆ |
At What Hi-Fi?, despite over a decade of searching, we’re yet to find an OLED TV that offers truly immersive, home cinema-level sound. This is particularly true on smaller affordable sets, such as this B3. As a result, we always recommend factoring in the price of a soundbar or speakers with your OLED TV purchase. This is particularly important if you’re on a tight budget. In this specific instance, we’d recommend an affordable soundbar such as the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), which is what we generally pair it with when writing our system recommendations.
Best mid-range
The LG C4 at first glance doesn’t look like a huge upgrade on the older, outgoing LG C3. There’s no brightness boosting MLA tech, as there is on the more premium LG G4, and its design is very similar to its predecessor’s. Unlike the more expensive LG G4, which we also awarded five-stars after testing, it also uses a tweaked Alpha 9 processor, not the all-new Alpha 11 – which has more AI processing smarts.
But the moment our reviewers unboxed it and got it running head-to-head against key rivals including the C3 and Sony A80L, we found it’s actually a very big upgrade on its predecessor.
For starters, the picture quality is night and day better than what we’ve seen on competing OLEDs this price. Whether it was the overcooked deserts of Top Gun: Maverick, the moody, dark Gotham cityscape in The Batman or the university campus seen in modern masterpiece Oppenheimer, the C4 universally delivers a punchy, sharp picture that retains a wonderfully authentic feel.
Interestingly, we also found LG has managed to radically improve its audio quality, despite the design remaining largely unchanged. Playing demanding scenes like the bass-heavy second chapter of Blade Runner 2049, the C4 offered much more low-end heft and punch than its predecessor – though it still didn’t manage to come close to competing with the performance you get from any good budget soundbar, such as the Sonos Beam Gen 2.
This, plus its excellent app selection, which includes all the staples we’d expect plus a surprising number of local catch-up and specialist services – our editor-in-chief is particularly happy there’s a CrunchyRoll app – and inclusion of four HDMI 2.1 ports make it an easy recommendation.
Hence our reviewers concluded:
“The C4 is a surprisingly large upgrade on the uncharacteristically dull C3 of last year. Big improvements to brightness and sharpness make for an image with lots of pop and dynamism, and the rich tone and vibrant colours are a delight – but LG has tempered all of this with realism, consistency and authenticity. Sound quality has been significantly improved, too. This is the first 2024 mid-range OLED TV that we have tested, but it has laid the gauntlet for its rivals in dramatic fashion.”
The only minor caveat we have is that, having tested it, the LG G4 is a very compelling unit and holistic best option if judged purely on our hallowed performance-per-pound/dollar metric. But, If you have the extra cash, the G4 is significantly brighter and has a noticeably more dynamic picture thanks to its use of MLA screen tech.
If you don’t mind picking up an older model, then the outgoing LG G3, while not quite as big of a performance jump from its predecessor as the G4, is also a very compelling option. Though stocks are beginning to dry up, the G3 has all the same gaming features, and comes with a first generation MLA panel, which makes it brighter than the C4. It’s also currently getting its price slashed on a regular basis.
- Like the price but not the TV? Also consider the Sony A80L.
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Picture | Brighter, punchier and sharper than the C3, this is the new mid-range OLED benchmark | ★★★★★ |
| Sound | While not perfect, this is a big step up for LG and good overall sound by TV standards | ★★★★☆ |
| Features | Flawless gaming specs and an intuitive, app-packed smart platform | ★★★★★ |
Best premium
The LG G4 is the Korean tech giant’s latest flagship TV. It’s also the only set on this list to feature Micro Lens Array (MLA) hardware. Why’s that a big deal? Because MLA is a key technology that lets the G4 offer radically higher peak and max brightness levels than past OLED sets.
Specifically it means the second generation MLA panel on the G4 can deliver a massive 3000 nits max brightness. That’s a huge 1000 nit increase on what its predecessor, the LG G3 could offer with its first generation MLA screen.
And that’s not the only big upgrade the G4 offers. During our checks the LG G4 proved to be one of the biggest year-on-year improvements we’ve seen with a TV in quite some time.
MLA, combined with the use of a new Alpha 11 chip helped it deliver radically improved picture processing, led to great results across all our tests.
There’s a wonderful heft to characters’ movement during the fight in Blade Runner 2049, which we often use to test a TV’s motion handling.
Our testers then couldn’t help but be impressed by the sheer volume of shadow detail on show when we ran the atypically dark The Batman, where it also retained its colour accuracy and was blissfully free of the brown tinge we experienced on its predecessor.
Finally, there are the dazzling peaks we saw running our Pan peak brightness stress test – forgive our movie choice, it's terrible but useful thanks to its atypical 4000 nits mastering.
For gamers the inclusion of four, rather than the standard two, HDMI 2.1 inputs is also a blessing that will save people with multiple current generation games consoles and a Dolby Atmos soundbar a lot of cable swapping.
This is why it’s the first TV for close to a year to dethrone the older Sony A95 QD-OLED as the best premium OLED to buy right now. Our reviewers’ conclusion says it all:
“LG’s second generation MLA OLED tech improves on all the areas that made the first generation great. Highlights include stellar HDR performance, wonderfully immersive and accurate colours that are consistent from the brightest to darkest parts of the picture, and stellar motion handling. This plus its excellent suite of gaming features make it a fantastic option for any home cinema enthusiast yet to invest in a next generation OLED.”
Our only minor quibble is that its inbuilt speakers aren’t great. But at this price you should be investing in a solid Dolby Atmos soundbar or speaker system to go with your new TV anyway.
Read our LG G4 review
- If the price is right, but you don't fancy an LG, then also consider the Sony A95L.
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Picture | The best LG's delivered to date | ★★★★★ |
| Sound | Thin and flat even by TV standards | ★★★☆☆ |
| Features | The best you'l get for app support and gaming | ★★★★★ |
Also consider
In this section of our OLED TV buying guide we offer the closest alternatives to the main sets we recommend. Each one is a direct alternative to our main recommendation that very nearly made the main list. Every set here is still a very good product, that has been through the exact same rigorous comparative testing procedure as our main recommendations.
Philips OLED808
The best alternative to the LG B3
If the LG B3 doesn’t appeal to you then the Philips 808 is a fantastic value OLED that comes with the company’s Ambilight bias lighting. This is a unique feature to Philips TVs that aims to improve immersion and reduce eye strain using a series of LED lights built into the TV. Ambilight aside we can also confirm the 808 offers excellent picture quality, especially at its current reduced price, if you favour a blow your socks off "wow" factor over subdued realism, based on our checks.
Read our Philips OLED808 review
Sony A80L
The best alternative to the LG C4
Until our last update the What Hi-Fi? award winning Sony A80L was the mid-range OLED TV we recommended to most people. This is because, during our tests it is a fantastic performer, offering good, by TV standard audio, wonderfully accurate motion handling and a dynamic, but realistic picture that will delight any TV fan. But, with the Bravia 8 soon replacing it and the newer C4, which is also incredibly impressive, getting an unexpected and sizable price cut, we've since upgraded our buying advice to recommend the LG in its place. If, for whatever reason the C4 doesn't appeal, the A80L remains a very good option, however.
Read our Sony A80L review
Sony A95L
The best alternative to the LG G4
The Sony A95L is the Japanese tech giant's current flagship QD-OLED and a direct rival to the LG G4. It offers dazzling max brightness levels, wonderfully accurate picture quality and the best in-built audio system you can get on a premium OLED TV. But it was recently dethroned by the G4 thanks to a series of price cuts on the LG set, which is currently cheaper. This plus the G4's better gaming specs and equally impressive, in some cases better, picture are the main reasons the A95L has been dethroned. But if you really are dead set against getting a separate soundbar or speaker package, or just don't fancy the G4, it remains a fantastic option we wholeheartedly recommend.
Read our Sony A95L review
What we look for in an OLED TV
Value for money: Even though OLED TVs are by nature a luxury item, whenever we review any product we put performance-per-pound (or dollar if you’re in the US) first. This is a key metric we use to determine if something is good value for money – which is why if an OLED costs thousands more than a direct rival we expect it to perform significantly better.
That said, we still base our recommendations on performance and expect every set to achieve a baseline. To decide what this is we always see how they perform directly against rivals and step up or down models in our dedicated viewing rooms.
Picture quality: This is a primary point we look at when reviewing any OLED set. Key factors include: are the colours accurate? How good is the motion handling (which is a fancy way of saying do movements look natural and free of the dreaded Soap Opera Effect)? Is the picture vibrant and enticing? Is the HDR performance up to scratch in all the common standards, such as HDR10+, Dolby Vision and HLG? Are blacks deep enough and is there plenty of shadow detail?
Audio: On top of that, we gauge any OLED’s audio performance. There are plenty of OLED TVs doing the rounds with attached speaker bars purporting to “remove the need for a soundbar or speaker package”. We’re yet to find one that delivers on this promise so we still check key things such as how they handle bass-heavy scenes, dialogue, and (where applicable) surround-sound formats and/or Dolby Atmos.
Gaming: Given that many people now regularly play games on their TV, when reviewing an OLED we always make sure it features the connectivity required to run a current generation console or PC at full speed. Key things include the ability to run games in 4K at 120Hz, whether or not it suffers from input lag and support for gaming-specific HDR standards, such as Dolby Vision Gaming. Of course, we also go beyond the specs and test whether games look and feel good when played through the TV on test.
How we tested OLED TVs
How we test OLED TVs
What Hi-Fi? tests OLEDs using the same approach it does with any category of products.
As a starting point, we always test OLEDs in controlled conditions, which is usually our viewing room, and directly against the other TVs that we think buyers looking at this specific set should also consider or be upgrading from. This is to ensure our experiences are uniform among all the TVs we test. We never review a product in isolation or gauge performance based on memory. Every review will feature conclusions we’ve made directly comparing the TVs we mention.
As part of this, we use a reference system for the TVs. This includes a Panasonic DP-UB820EB Blu-ray player, which we use to run our test discs, and a Sony TA-AN1000, which we use to split the same source material simultaneously across the OLED TVs we’re comparing. For gaming features, we connect current generation Xbox Series X and PS5 game consoles. If there are any changes to the reference set-up we will flag them in the review.
For picture quality, we always use an ever-changing portfolio of test discs to gauge specific aspects of the TV’s performance. For example, we may use a 4K Blu-ray of an incredibly brightly mastered movie, such as Pan, to gauge peak brightness. Meanwhile, we will watch scenes from an incredibly darkly mastered movie, such as The Batman or Oppenheimer, to check shadow detail.
We do not professionally calibrate TVs during testing as this is beyond what most normal buyers would do and requires specialist equipment and knowledge, even on expensive OLEDs. However, we do not just use the out-of-the-box settings. As a rule, when testing an OLED TV we will experiment with all the settings, using a mixture of test patterns and ‘real’ content, until we feel we have got the absolute best picture possible out of it.
Recent Updates
- Updated 09/08/24: The LG G4 and C4 replaced the Sony A80L and Sony A95L as our recommended mid-range and premium sets after receiving hefty price cuts.
- Updated: 05/07/24: Updated to reference Prime Day deals, and include new advice based on our experience reviewing the LG G4.
- Updated 09/05/24: All entries replaced with new buying advice and recommendations for cheap, Samsung, gaming and 8K OLED sets.
- Updated: 06/03/24 to add new tips, author bios, also considered entries, intro, FAQ answers, how we test and how we choose sections.
OLED TV FAQ
How is OLED different?
OLED TVs work differently from LCD TVs. You can get a full breakdown of the differences in our OLED vs LCD guide page, but the biggest difference is that they charge individual pixels rather than an entire backlight. This lets them generate perfect blacks and better contrast. This is particularly noticeable when you watch an OLED side by side with an LCD in a dark room, as we have done many times. Here, in most instances, the LCD will have a greyer tone than its OLED rival. The trade-off is that top LCDs can have higher maximum brightness levels.
Is OLED better?
OLED has become synonymous with being the “best” panel tech for picture quality and if you check our best TV guide, you’ll see plenty of OLED sets are featured. However, having run more TVs side by side than we care to count we can confirm the answer to this question is “it depends on the TV”. Despite their price, OLEDs aren’t all perfect and there are massive differences in performance between the various sets. These can range from how they handle motion to their ability to accurately display colours as the director intended. We’ve seen some top-end Mini LED TVs beat OLEDs in certain areas, such as audio quality, maximum brightness and gaming performance, especially in recent years. It’s just black levels where we’re yet to see OLED beaten in all instances.
Is QD-OLED and MLA the same as OLED?
QD-OLED and MLA are competing OLED TV technologies designed to overcome OLED’s biggest perceived weakness – the fact it can’t go as bright as backlit TV technologies. QD-OLED does this by adding Samsung’s Quantum Dot TV tech to OLED. MLA, which is built by LG Display, adds a layer of microscopic lenses behind the OLED panels to boost brightness. We’ve tested sets from both technologies and can confirm they do raise OLED’s max brightness, but given the limited number of sets running either, with MLA only having launched last year, we’re not yet ready to offer our definitive verdict which is better.
Are there any cheap OLEDs?
OLED technology still carries a premium price tag, and we’re seemingly still a long way off from seeing an OLED TV hit the £500 / $500 mark. OLED has recently come down in price somewhat, though. The LG C2, which launched in 2022, was the first OLED we considered to really nail our hallowed performance-per-dollar/pound metric. We’re hoping to see OLED TVs drop further in cost this year.
Should I worry about OLED burn-in?
OLED burn-in (also sometimes referred to as ‘image retention’) refers to when a shadow image is essentially burned into the TV’s panel. While it is absolutely possible for an OLED TV to suffer burn-in, thanks to its use of organic materials, it is far from a common issue. None of the OLED TVs we have tested has ever suffered from burn-in, and the same is true of the many OLEDs that staff members own and have owned. Anti-burn-in technologies have become better each year, too, so the latest OLED TVs are even less susceptible to burn-in than their predecessors. As long as you make use of these anti-burn-in features (which are usually switched on by default), turn the TV off using the remote rather than the wall socket (this allows it to run a quick panel refresh) and avoid leaving a static image on the screen for days at a time, it’s highly unlikely that you should be concerned.